News

Upscale product meeting the needs of consumers and resort clients Interval International, a prominent worldwide provider of vacation services and an operating business of Interval Leisure Group (Nasdaq: IILG), announced that more than 100,000 families are now enrolled in Interval PlatinumSM, its most prestigious membership level. Launched two years ago,…

SPI, the shared ownership industry’s premier software provider, is pleased to announce that Global Exchange Development Corporation has selected SPI Orange software for use in managing their sales and marketing operations.

While the attendance was great at both events, the best news was the mood and outlook of the delegates for the coming year. The HOLA delegates were predictably optimistic, but even at CHRIS the mood was the most upbeat since the great recession began. There were numerous credible conversations being held about new deals in the region,” said Jim Burba, BHN. “More than 600 delegates attended the events, with a sizeable number attending both, reinforcing the logic of putting the events in the same week in Miami, the financial gateway to the Latin America and Caribbean region,”

“Koloa Landing at Poipu Beach is a welcome addition to The Registry Collection program,” said Gregg Anderson, global vice president, The Registry Collection. “The beautiful, exclusive oceanside resort is a spectacular new option for members planning a vacation to Hawaii, and we are very proud to be working with the great team there. We made a promise to our member-families to offer resort opportunities in Hawaii, and I know that Koloa Landing will become an instant ‘must visit’ property.”

InnSeason Resorts®, creators of the Northeast Experience® and leading providers of resort vacation and ownership opportunities, recently announced the promotion of Cathy Leyden to Vice President of Finance.

ocated in Santa Fe, New Mexico, the Villas are one of nine timeshare resorts VI manages in the Southwest. Founded in 1974, the respected management company, headquartered in Bellevue, WA, became the pioneer in “points-based” timeshare, and is considered an industry leader. Beginning with one resort location in Hawaii, VI now has resort locations in three countries which offer a combination of exciting destinations and unique vacation experiences.

C.A.R.E. (Cooperative Association of Resort Exchangers) member volunteers participated in a service project at The Boys and Girls Club of the Grand Strand (www.bgclubsgs.org ) following their spring conference in Myrtle Beach, SC. “C.A.R.E. Gives Back” is a volunteer effort in which C.A.R.E. members give of their time and talents…

Wyndham Vacation Ownership (WVO) continues its partnership with Step Up For Students (SUFS) by investing more than $1.25 million since 2011, funding nearly 300 scholarships for low-income children in Florida. SUFS is a nonprofit organization that offers scholarships aimed at providing learning options for economically disadvantaged children in Florida. WVO’s…

Orlando-based Timeshare Closing Services, Inc., along with Sell My Timeshare NOW, applaud Florida lawmakers on the passage of Florida House Bill 7025, which – along with other provisions – limits controversial timeshare resale strategies known as “Viking Ships.” “Previously, timeshare owners who were unable to sell their vacation time would…

Wellington Financial says Liberty Bank’s $20mm loan provided to finance timeshare receivables.

The Timeshare Division of Hilton Worldwide Earns American Resort Development Association Circle of Excellence Employer of the Year Award Hilton Grand Vacations (HGV) has been honored by the American Resort Development Association (ARDA) with the prestigious 2013 Circle of Excellence Employer of the Year Award. Hilton Grand Vacations received the…

Canada’s leading conference producer in the hospitality sector, Big Picture Conferences, joins forces with the Canadian Resort Development Association to produce the only national event focused on resort development and vacation ownership:

Overland Park, KS – May 7, 2013 – Global Connections, Inc. (GCI), one of the nation’s most respected travel clubs, was recently honored with an ARDY award in the category of Logo Design at the American Resort Development Association’s annual convention, held in Hollywood, FL. The ARDA Awards Program recognizes…

Deedback Solutions is a program specifically to help resurrect delinquent owners and generate revenue from inactive accounts using state of the art contact methodology designed to engage the owner. The program has shown remarkable success in regaining control of resort inventory while circumventing ongoing collection calls or expensive foreclosure costs. The program also provides a way to monetize a resort’s remaining and recovered inventory through the RSI travel club.

It has been announced today that Merlin Software for Vacation Ownership has made two key appointments in the U.S. and Australia. These appointments reflect recent client acquisition and extend the company’s representation in these important areas.

According to Capital One Bank’s proprietary Vacation Ownership Survey, 78 percent of professionals at the American Resort Development Association (ARDA) World 2013 conference expect 2013 timeshare sales to be stronger than in 2012. The annual survey found that confidence in sales growth among industry professionals increased 14 percent over last year.

Interval International, a prominent worldwide provider of vacation services and an operating business of Interval Leisure Group (Nasdaq: IILG), will host a Shared Ownership Investment Seminar on May 16 at Club El Nogal in Bogotá, Colombia. Interval created these events in 1998 to educate developers, hoteliers, lenders, and government officials about resort development opportunities, and has sponsored many around the world.

FARROW Commercial Construction (Santa Rosa, CA) a nationwide commercial construction company specializing in the hospitality industry has announced a five year engagement with a major timeshare company on behalf of its Homeowners Associations. The two companies have had a long term relationship primarily focused on refurbishments of the developer’s timeshares in Arizona, Missouri and New Mexico.

The Timeshare Association (Timeshare Owners and Committees), TATOC, is delighted to announce the launch of the TATOC Ambassador Programme and the appointment of Mike Ashton as chief Ambassador.

Dial An Exchange (DAE), the world’s largest privately-owned timeshare exchange company, appoints Gary Fog as their new Business Development Manager for the Australia and New Zealand region.

It’s another winning year for Breckenridge Grand Vacations. The world famous timeshare company was recently honored with two Gold ARDY awards at the American Resort Development Association (ARDA) World Convention. Breckenridge Grand Vacations (BGV) captured the gold in the categories of Best Manager or Team– BGV’s Event Team, and for best In House Sales Team–BGV’s Grand Lodge on Peak 7.

Wyndham Vacation Ownership(WVO) won the ACE Philanthropic of the Year Award, along with eight other prestigious industry awards at the annual American Resort Development Association (ARDA) Awards Gala in Hollywood, Fla. The ARDA Awards celebrate the best and brightest in the vacation ownership industry in more than 60 categories.

According to research commissioned by Interval International, a prominent worldwide provider of vacation services, one of four active leisure travelers residing in Colombia is interested in acquiring a shared resort real estate product during the next two years. The findings also reveal that nine in 10 find condominium-style accommodations an…

Timeshare Management Industry Leader, Grand Pacific Resort Management (GPRM) took home four Gold Awards at the American Resort Development Association (ARDA) 2013 World Convention. This year Grand Pacific had a total of 16 finalists who were selected from hundreds of entries submitted by ARDA members and then judged independently in a confidential/blind judging process.

Reservation Services International, a provider of privately branded Leisure Lifestyle and Travel Benefits Programs, has entered into an agreement with Perspective Group, a global PR and Multimedia company for the vacation ownership industry, to utilize its newest service, INTUITION, to assist with the launch of their Deedback Solutions Program.

GNEX 2014 – The Global Meeting of Minds, will be held February 9-12, 2014 at the luxurious Ritz Carlton Sarasota in Sarasota, Florida, a destination that offers a sophisticated blend of casual Gulf Coast lifestyle and cosmopolitan excitement.

WorldMark® by Wyndham, one of Wyndham Vacation Ownership’s four primary consumer brands, today announced it has acquired 120 quartershares (equivalent to 30 units) at The Lake House at Chelan, located in Chelan, WA from Lake House Chelan, LLC. The resort is the Company’s ninth in Washington State and is anticipated to open to WorldMark owners this summer. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Vacation Storebuilder, provider of a Software-as-a-Service ecommerce platform for the vacation rental industry, announced today that Mike Montemurro has joined its leadership team as Chief Operating Officer (COO). Used by both individual owners and property management companies, Vacation Storebuilder deploys and manages branded webstores for vacation rental properties quickly and easily by automating digital marketing and increasing web bookings.

Perspective Magazine, the vacation ownership industry’s leading independent trade publication boldly announced the location of its 2014 conference during the incredibly successful 2013 event which was held at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel, Beverly Hills, California.

Known as the hospitality and tourism capital of the world, Orlando has grown to be the most visited destination in the United States, welcoming more than 56 million annual visitors. Helping to accommodate the record-setting number of tourists is David Siegel, president & CEO of Westgate Resorts, and Richard Maladecki, president & CEO of the Central Florida Hotel and Lodging Association, who for decades have both helped grow and shape the lodging segment of Central Florida’s hospitality industry.

Dial An Exchange, who recently exhibited at the ARDA World Convention, continued to receive incredible feedback from industry colleagues about their recent expansions and increased visibility within the market.

When Occidental Vacation Club (OVC), a division of Occidental Hotels and Resorts (Madrid), received the coveted RCI Gold Crown rating for 10 of its resorts, they decided to celebrate. And celebrate they have. During the past month, vacation club members and staff have been treated to festivities as RCI has bestowed the official recognition to highly touted properties in the OVC group.

Oombaga, the mobile application which allows timeshare owners to pay maintenance fees, make reservations and carry out transactions with their resort in real time, was honored at the Resort Development Association’s World Convention with the Ace Innovator Award. The award recognizes those who have successfully implemented a groundbreaking product, service or concept. “It’s about recognizing the ‘best of the best’ in the vacation ownership industry,” said Howard Nusbaum, president and CEO of ARDA.

Mobius Vendor Partners and its CustomerCountSM, an enterprise feedback management tool, was honored with the prestigious Gold ARDY Award at the American Resort Development Association (ARDA) 2013 World Convention for its innovative programs used in the management and marketing of resorts.

Sterling Holidays, India’s leading Vacation Ownership and Leisure Hospitality Company, announced the appointment of Rajiv Srivastava as its new Corporate Chef. In his new role, Rajiv will manage the Company’s culinary operations and aim to create an unmatched food and dining experience for guests.

Brand Tango, a Deerfield, Fla-based marketing, technology and design firm, has won two 2013 ARDY awards from the American Resort Development Association. Taking home top honors in the Advertising, Promotion & Communications category were a corporate image brochure for Sunset World of Cancun, Mexico, and a digital member kit for Sirenis Premium Travelers Club, the exclusive vacation club of Sirenis Hotels & Resorts.

Perspective Group, a global PR & Multimedia company for the vacation ownership industry and Brand Tango, a comprehensive marketing, design, and technology company have announced that they will now work together on a variety of complementing services to provide a more seamless integration of brand management and marketing strategies for their clients.

Dial An Exchange (DAE), an industry leading exchange company, appoints Ahmed Adel Saleh as their new Business Development Manager for Egypt. Adel, who carries a B.Sc. of law from Cairo University in Giza, Egypt, has over 20 years’ experience within the fractional real estate industry.

Leading global timeshare industry PR and Multimedia firm get a fast start with new twist on traditional PR and online marketing.
Perspective Group is well known throughout the global timeshare community for its award winning trade publication Perspective Magazine; which publishes five regional titles covering North America, Europe & Middle East, Latin America, Asia Pacific and South Africa.

Club Meliá by Meliá Hotels International, a leading international vacation membership club with locations in the Caribbean, Mexico, Central America and Europe, was presented with a prestigious ARDY award at the 2013 American Resort Development Association (ARDA) Annual Convention in Hollywood, Fla. this month for C-Magazine by Club Meliá, its new digital vacation experience magazine for members.

Interval International, a prominent worldwide provider of vacation services and an operating business of Interval Leisure Group (Nasdaq: IILG), today announced that its U.S.-resident members traveled approximately 24 nights per year for leisure purposes during the last 12 months, and report average annual household income of $121,550, more than twice the median household income according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

World’s largest exchange company recognized for leading technology and exceptional contributions by associates. RCI, the global leader in vacation exchange and part of the Wyndham Worldwide family of brands (NYSE:WYN), won five awards at the ARDA 2013 Awards Gala Dinner in Hollywood, Fla. These awards recognize RCI’s recent accomplishments and innovations, clearly cementing the company’s leadership position in the vacation exchange industry.

Following their successful joint venture at Atlantic Beach Club, launched in May of 2012, Klaus Otten and John MacDonald have entered into an agreement to acquire Club Tisaya Golf from its Community of Owners. Originally sold in 1990, the 22 unit resort bordering Maspalomas Golf will be completely refurbished and available for sale to the rapidly increasing Atlantic Experience customer base. When completed, Club Tisaya Golf will consist of studios, one and two bedroom accommodations, making a great addition to the increased demand for space from Atlantic Experiences’ members.

RCI®, the global leader in vacation exchange and part of the Wyndham Worldwide family of brands (NYSE: WYN), today announced the winners of its RCI Green Awards with Grand Pacific Palisades Resort earning top honors as the Platinum RCI Green Award winner.

RCI, the global leader in vacation exchange and part of the Wyndham Worldwide family of brands (NYSE: WYN), announced several enhancements to RCI® Presenter, its award-winning touchscreen tool, and RCI® TV, the timeshare industry’s first web-based television network of its kind. These latest innovations are part of RCI’s ongoing efforts to provide affiliates with the latest in point-of-sale technology.

During the event for press and members which took place yesterday, the vacation membership company, the Anfi Group, which is based in Gran Canaria, and its “ambassador” in Europe, the Canarian player David Silva, encouraged the British to “ignore the crisis” and travel to the Canary Islands during the summer.

Interval International, a prominent worldwide provider of vacation services and an operating business of Interval Leisure Group (Nasdaq: IILG), and Simpson Bay Resort Sales Company, B.V., the operator of Royal Resorts Caribbean Collection (RRCC), a points-based vacation club, have entered into a long-term agreement to provide customized services for its club members. This integration leverages Interval’s infrastructure and complements RRCC resources by offering program design, back-office management, and reservations.

Members will be able to earn Travel Rewards to help pay maintenance fees or make Lifestyle Benefit purchases

The Registry Collection, the world’s largest luxury exchange program and part of RCI, recently welcomed Fairmont Heritage Place, Mayakoba in Mexico to its network of affiliated properties. The Registry Collection currently offers more than 200 vacation options either available for exchange or under development in 40 countries.

Deedback Solutions, a division of Reservation Services International (RSI), has confirmed a strategic partnership with Stewart Title Company to provide a professional and seamless service that sees the return of recovered timeshare inventory to a resort or its designee.